Devil's advocate in Slate comments

[MalignD at aol.com]

<< See, I've always felt that Cryptonomicon was a watered down attempt by 
Stephenson as a wanna-be Pynchon to write a GR.  I think Matthew's comment there 
about sums it up for me as well. >>

These sorts of inevitable comparisons are not constructive.  I don't think 
Stephenson is a wannabe Pynchon.  Cryptonomicon is wonderful -- smart, 
fast-paced, clever, but I see no comparison to GR.  They have different aspirations.  
Any writer smart about science and technology isn't necessarily trying to 
imitate TP.  He couldn't possibly have thought he was trying to top GR.